The present invention relates to a room deodorizer or air freshener and, more particularly, to the type that dispenses perfume into the air by relying on movement of a liquid or solution up a wick such that exposure of the wick to the air allows the liquid to evaporate.
A variety of room deodorizers of the type described above have been known in the art, but basically these provide that a solution consisting of perfume oil, emulsifiers, alcohol and water, is permitted to move up a wick by capillary action. The problem with this approach is that the wick or paper matrix also acts like a filter and hence the perfume is not evenly dispensed. As a consequence, there is a limitation imposed of using only those fragrances that minimize this problem. However, the objective of a room deodorizer is generally to be able to use the fragrance that will do the best job, so that one will not be limited to the type of perfume that will be moved up the wick with the least resistance.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an economical and effective room deodorizer that will freshen a room evenly over a 30 to 60 day period, the time period depending on the amount of liquid in the lower portion of the dispenser.
Another primary object is to insure that the perfume is uniformly dispensed throughout the time period involved.
The above and other objects are implemented by several features of the present invention. In accordance with the primary feature, the room deodorizer enables continuously dispensing a deodorant over an extended period of time by having a matrix, preferably made of paper, disposed within a container which holds a quantity of a first liquid that is not miscible with a second liquid. The matrix has a first portion partly immersed in the first liquid, which is usually water, and is provided with a second portion impregnated with a second liquid in the form of perfume oil. These two portions can actually be constituted--and are indeed so constituted in the preferred embodiments--of respective, separate first and second matrix elements. The key aspect is that water within the container moves upward in the matrix by capillary action and contacts the perfume oil in the second portion of the matrix, whereby the perfume oil is forced to the surface by molecular displacement since the water and oil will not mix. Hence, the perfume oil evaporates into the atmosphere. Such evaporation will take place over a long period of the order of 60 days such that a uniform dispensing takes place over that period.
Other and further objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be understood by reference to the following specification in conjunction with the annexed drawing, wherein like parts have been given like numbers.